New Fisher House opens at Fort Belvoir

WASHINGTON – Military families who want to be nearby while their wounded family members are in the hospital now have a new – more comfortable – place to stay near Washington.

On Tuesday, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the new Fisher House at Fort Belvoir.

“It’s a home away from home for those who have a loved one who is sick or is wounded in service to this country,” says Ken Fisher, chairman of the Fisher House Foundation, describing the network of at least 57 homes located on military medical center grounds.

“We like to think of it as a piece of their homes.”

The 10,000 square foot home sits across the street from the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. Fisher says this is more than just a port in the storm for the families, “It is the support system that will form within these walls.”

Twelve families will be able to stay at the Fisher House, and that means they will be able to help each through the bad days.

The Fisher House Foundation makes sure families get to stay for free.

“It all comes back to the main reason why we do it, and that is to honor the sacrifices that have been made for us.”

Since the first two Fisher Houses were built in 1991, the foundation says it has saved families more than $190 million dollars in transportation and lodging.

The Fort Belvoir Fisher House is the third in Virginia and there are three in Maryland.